how to assign a parsed file to a variable?

I got several mails asking if I got any replies/solutions for the following problem that I posted days ago. Regretfully, the answer is no. So I repost it again and see if it can be done by PHP... GOAL: 1) parse an external file with PHP+HTML codes 2) assign the result string to a variable instead of displaying directly on the PHP script Example follows... Thank you! -------- Original Message -------- Subject: eval(...) not printing on browser, but assigning to a variable Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2000 11:27:52 +0800 From: Vboy <vboy@bigfoot.com> To: PHP List <php-general@lists.php.net> Dear all, -- test.inc (1 line file)-- <?echo "HELLO";?> -- -- test.php (1 line file)-- $fcontent=file("test.inc"); while ( list($line_num,$line) = each($fcontent) ) { $msg .= $line; } eval("?>$html_msg"); -- It echos "HELLO" on test.php. However, I do not want the string "HELLO" printing on test.php, I want it assigned to avariable instead, so I can use it for other purpose. e.g. as a mail body How do I accomplish that? Thanks. Regards, vBoy